Occupy the Heart
by James C. Henderson

When we look back on what we do here today
whatever the outcome, whatever the result
we can say we did it out of love
as friends, who, before we occupied
were preoccupied by doubt and despair.
Who, before we were many, were one
alone in our room looking out
at the future with dreary eyes.
Sure, now that we are together, out in the open
there is danger.
Now that we have shown our faces
vowed to love one another and the world
we are vulnerable to the cold
to pepper spray, the rain of billy clubs
but here we stand.
Without food or shelter, without signs
without even our books, we stand.
Inside or outside of the designated hours
or the prescribed zones of free speech
we stand, voices raised, for what’s right.
To the forces that oppose us,
to those that oppress us, we say:
You can kick us out of your public parks
your government centers, your open spaces.
These are not really what we occupy.
We occupy the heart.

Occupy the Heart – James Henderson

James C. Henderson has published poetry in a variety of literary journals including Haute~Dish, Double Dare Press, 42opus, and Midwest Poetry and has participated in numerous poet/artist exhibitions at The Crossings at Carnegie in Zumbrota, Minnesota. A member of OccupySaintPaul, James lives with his wife, Athena, in New Brighton, Minnesota.